Use your Transit Benefits on the VRE

Transit Benefits

Transit benefits are issued by an employer to their employees to assist them in purchasing transit fares for commuting purposes. Transit benefits come in a variety of forms depending on how the employer wishes to handle them. They can be checks, electronic SmartBenefits®, debit cards and can be employee funded (pre-tax or post-tax) or employer-funded.

To see what Transit Benefits your employer offers, speak with your Human Resources (or equivalent) department at your place of employment. Most employers will assist you in arranging your transit benefits as part of the hiring process. Only your employer can tell you what benefit options they offer, how they are managed/issued, and how to sign up for them.

What are SmartBenefits®?

SmartBenefits® is the region's most common form of transit benefit. It is a program managed and operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, or WMATA better known as the operator of Metrorail and Metrobus. 
 

How to allocate your SmartBenefits® to VRE Mobile Ticketing

 

Important Note

Electronic SmartBenefits® assigned to VRE must be used in the month they are applied for, or they will be lost. There is no rollover and no account services with most VRE Vendor locations, benefits assigned are on a strict "Use it or lose it" basis.


 


 

Who Do I Talk to If I Have Problems with My SmartBenefits®?

Since Electronic SmartBenefits® are a WMATA managed system, VRE is limited in our ability to assist with your account. If you have questions regarding how to sign up for an account, how to assign benefits to selected vendors or to use your SmarTrip card (for non VRE use), or any other detail related to account use, WMATA is your best source for information. For a more detailed FAQ on WMATA SmartBenefits® and how they work, please see their SmartBenefits Page or call WMATA's SmartBenefits® Help Line at 202-962-1326, option 3.
 



Are There Other Options? Who Do I Talk to About Those?

There are many other Transit Benefit Options that VRE accepts, from pre-paid debit cards of many different types/issuers, to transit checks such as TransBen Checks or Commuter Check.

If your employer uses these options, please feel free to contact the VRE office at 800-743-3873 to inquire whether VRE accepts that form of payment, and we'll be happy to assist you.